


Same Old Song

by Emanationman



Category: Iron Fist (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Awkwardness, Bad boy exes, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Mob enforcer!Frank, Reconciliation, Wanny for the soul, Weddings and drama, With fluff promised to come, just because i can
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-04-13 13:24:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14113281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emanationman/pseuds/Emanationman
Summary: Ward made up a boyfriend out of desperation and idiocy. When Tony, of all people, decides to tie the knot and more or less force Ward to bring his recluse of a boyfriend out for a weekend wedding, Ward has little choice but to ask Danny for help. Danny who he hasn't seen in years and who broke Ward's heart once upon a time.With a best friend to marry off, an incorrigible ex on the prowl, and a clueless Danny to play house with, Ward just wants to survive the weekend. He really needed to stop acting surprised at the shitshow that was his life.***Her laugh was salt on the wound. “I'm sorry, this is just so perfect. Mr. I-don’t-need-no-man needs in fact a man. Not just any man, but a blonde, blue eyed, reclusive millionaire, who loves yoga, long walks on the beach and what was that last part?”“Knows Kung Fu.” Ward answered sadly.Joy burst into laughter again. He hung up.





	1. Cold Open

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in my drafts for almost a year and I'm sick of staring at it. I'm hoping that setting it free will encourage me to finish it, so please don't hold back on the comments and kudos. Feel free to ignore any mistakes because even though it's been beta'd by both Eva and Laura (thank you btw, I love you guys) I've edited and moved things around since then. 
> 
> Y'all can catch me at [Emanationman](http://emanationman.tumblr.com) on Tumblr as well!

Ward dreamt of a head of gold curls buried between his legs. Strong careful hands bending him and shaping him from the inside out. Lips, soft and sinfully pink, stretched wide around his cock as his hips stuttered up, a wicked tongue teasing him to the point of madness.

He felt weightless and euphoric. Strung out and used deliciously well. He could feel the toe curling suction and the soft blonde ringlets through his fingers and he could swear the air tasted like strawberries and incense. He was so close. He was right _there_. 

Until the hellish buzzer from his alarm clock ripped him from the blissful fantasy that slipped from his memory with every second of wakefulness. Like water through his fingers he struggled to remember the sweetest details. 

Groaning, he slammed down on the alarm and turned to bury his head under the pillow. Grasping at the wisping memories and ending up losing more. 

He needed to get laid. 

***

Coffee and bagel in hand he made it through the lobby and elevator without seeing anyone he recognized and he preferred it that way. Friday mornings were always the worst. Everyone was too happy, too glad to be done with the workweek and ready to start the weekend. 

Ward had started to dread the weekend at some point. Two entire days home alone. No plans or work to distract him from the, frankly dragging, loneliness.

Ward obviously _had_ friends, He wasn't a ghoul. He just couldn't deal with the recent rash of dates he'd been invited to lately. Double dates and couples weekends he was casually forgotten to be told about until he was already fifth or third wheeling his single ass off.

His friends meant well, but even the blind dates he was so often set up on had become torture. He just couldn't sit through another surprise ‘ _oh hey is that Miranda? What a coincidence! Ward did you know that Miranda raises llama in her spare time?_ ’ date. He just couldn't. 

Half of the morning disappeared in a blink and before he knew it Tony was knocking on his open door. Like he did every Friday at 11. Smile smarmy, and eyes crinkled mischievously. That man was a walking STD prevention ad, but damn if he wasn't Ward's closest friend. Having taken Ward under his wing when Ward first started at the firm, and as much as he loved the guy he was a handful. Thankfully the man couldn't keep a relationship to save his life, so his single status was at least a small comfort to Ward. 

“Hey bro,” he sauntered jovially in, taking a relaxed seat. “You got a sec?”

“I guess I do now, what's up?”

“So, remember that guy, dude, well man-person, I told ya about from last month?”

Ward thought back and could maybe remember Tony mentioning some guy he had run into from his college days, said they'd gone for coffee, or drinks, knowing Tony it was probably drinks. 

“Yeah, Rodney?”

“Rhodey, James.” Tony then did something Ward should have taken as the omen it was, he blushed. Cheeks gone red as a tomato and small smile peeking out at the edges. Oh no.”Well I uh, I kinda asked him to marry me.”

Ward stared. Tony did _what_? He knew he'd heard the words but they didn't make any sense. Tony couldn't have… he wasn't…

“And we're doing it this weekend. The wedding thing, not the sexy thing. Well, maybe the sexy thing afterwards. Hopefully.”

“You're getting married?”

“Fucking crazy right?” Tony smiled big and winningly. He was serious. Wow. Ward stood and rounded the desk, pulling him up and wrapping him up in a manly hug. Slapping back pats like he used to see his father give his colleagues. 

“Congratulations, man.”

Tony grunted. “Jesus.”

He let the man go and caught his dopey grin as he sat again. Wow, again.

“So yeah, big tadoo this Sunday, dinner and shit Saturday. Up in the _Hamptons_ , so dress Fancy. I'll text you the address.”

“How romantic.” Ward deadpanned. “Is it BYOB too?”

“Yes it is. And none of that cheap stuff.”

Ward laughed, “So, what happened? How did this happen?”

“I kinda don't know. I mean we talked on the phone, reconnected, went on a few dates, and it kinda just clicked. I just… knew.”

“That's, that's great.” Ward hoped he didn't sound as fake as he thought he sounded. 

“Yeah, so. Wedding, you're my best man. I'm told that means speech and a date. So, you're gonna have to drag that recluse of a boyfriend out finally. Your plus one is apparently mandatory.”

Ward froze. 

Okay, so Ward wasn't crazy. He knew it was really only a matter of time before this came to bite him in the ass. _This_ being a boyfriend he may or may not have made up.

It had been months ago and Ward, in an act of self preservation, after dozens of awful, well intentioned blind dates, had blurted one night at dinner that he in fact did have a boyfriend. And that he was most certainly real, but a very private person. 

It wasn't supposed to go further than that, really. But Ward soon found himself carrying on the charade in crazier ways. He'd send flowers to himself, and post on Facebook about his boyfriend’s oh-so-wonderful sense of humor. And sex drive. And real existence. 

Ward wasn't proud of himself, obviously. In fact, he couldn't tell you why he even did it. It had just been a silly goof that made his friends back off and maybe, just a little, made him feel like he was actually dateable

So now he was here, awesome. “Awesome. Yeah, cool. That'll be, good. Yeah, I'll just, bring him- my boyfriend. Yup okay. I will do that.”

“Right.” Tony said, looking at him funny, as he stood and turned to leave, pausing at the door. Ward try to smile, failed miserably. “See you tomorrow. I'm serious about that cheap shit.”

Ward scoffed and Tony left with a chuckle.

***

“You have got to be joking.” 

Ward was fucked. He was just absolutely screwed. Laying on his couch staring blankly at his ceiling, phone to his ear. He thought Joy would be comforting, he didn't know why, so he called he her as soon as he got home that afternoon.

“Will you stop saying that?”

Her laugh was salt on the wound. “I'm sorry, this is just so perfect. Mr. I-don’t-need-no-man needs in fact a man. Not just any man, but a blonde, blue eyed, reclusive millionaire, who loves yoga, long walks on the beach and what was that last part?”

“Knows Kung Fu.” Ward answered sadly.

Joy burst into laughter again. He hung up.

It took all of ten seconds for Joy to call back. Thankfully only mildly chuckling. “I'm sorry, Ward, I'll stop, I'm sorry.” 

“And no he doesn't actually have to be all those things, he could just be blonde and we could lie about the rest.”

“He? He who?” She gasped and giggled out, “Are you gonna go all romcom and hire a gigolo to be a wedding date?”

“I don't hear any ideas from your end.”

“Well gimme a sec, let me process. Let's see, we need blonde, handsome, someone good at improv and doesn't mind awkward Ward-Kisses.”

“I am not an awkward kisser!”

“Ward, Tiffany Jersey and Abigail Bradley were both my friends remember?”

“That was like a decade ago! High school doesn't count.”

“Oh it counts. So does the graffiti in the girls bathroom. Ward 'fish lips’ Meachum, if I recall.”

“Girls are the worst.”

“Mmyeah. So what now, Fish Lips? Should we take a ride downtown? Pick up yourself a lil jailbait?”

“You're going to hell. And no. We need, I need, someone closer, someone who already knows me but doesn't know my friends. Someone…”

“Oh my god.”

“What?” Ward asked sitting up.

“I just got the best idea.”

“You mean worst idea?” He asked and received a cackle.

“We'll see. I'll be there with someone in an hour.”

“Wait, who?” Ward asked worried she might actually hire a gigolo. 

“You'll see when we get there.” She hung up with another cackle.

Ward regretted everything.

***

When the doorbell rang an hour later, he thought against checking the peephole, he might not answer the door if he didn't like what he saw. He swung the door open and was struck speechless. He shouldn't have answered the door, he knew that now.

Danny Rand stared happily beside a smirking, self triumphant, Joy. “Surprise!”

“Hi Ward!” Danny sprang forward and wrapped Ward in a tight hug, catching him off guard and giving him a chance to glare at Joy over his shoulder. _I'm gonna kill you,_ he mouthed.

 _You're welcome,_ she mouthed back. 

Danny stepped back after a second or two too long and smiled at Ward sunnily as Ward stepped aside to let them both in. 

“Danny, Jesus. It's been years.” Ward said, leading them through his place and into the living room. 

“Six, I know! Crazy huh?” he answered taking a seat. 

Danny wore a ridiculous hippie tie dye, shirt and baggy white pants. His shoes looked older than dirt and he had a mustard stain on his right knee. 

“Crazy.” Ward looked to Joy and caught her self satisfied grin.

“Yes, Danny actually just came back a few days ago.” Joy added. “From where was it you said?”

“Niyo Hotan, it's a mountain province in the Kunlun Mountains… in Southeast… China.” Danny petered out as he caught the back and forth looks Ward and Joy were shooting at one another not too subtly. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes. So, China. Wow. That must have been… fun.” Joy answered.

“Yeah. Loads. Ward? What's going on?”

Ward hadn't been ready for this. He hadn't seen Danny in, like he said, six years. Not since Ward graduated college and his closest friend fucked off to see the world. 

He, Joy, and Ward used to be inseparable back then. Joy and Danny's freshman year had coincided with Ward's senior, so they inadvertently became his mascots. They followed him to parties and study groups, keggers, and occasionally even went to their classes. 

Ward remembered it fondly if only because somehow throughout that year he and Danny had become… closer. They'd known each other from childhood because of their fathers obviously, but it wasn't until Danny had entered college that he realized the kid wasn't so bad. 

Sure, he was clingy. An unashamed optimist, and worst of all a morning person, but at some point all those years ago, Ward became charmed. His innocuous crush became, over that year, a full blown case of the feelings only for it to lead to nothing when Danny, with barely a text goodbye, flew off and away. _To see the world!_ his text said. 

His postcards came months almost years apart. All scribbled out to fill out the entire back. Danny had seen Europe, Africa, moving through to Asia and as far as four years ago, been traveling there. Doing really, god knew what. 

Ward had in the end confessed his feelings to Joy. When his sudden bout of slut, became a furious depression, he had no choice but to tell her. Danny by then had been Ward's… Ward's. And having him gone, just like that, it really messed up some things that had probably been a little loose to begin with. He'd eventually made peace with it, obviously, and the once over-dramatic reaction to Danny's absence had become a dull memory.

Until now, however, when Ward's heart was racing and his palms were sweating and he could see the distinct differences in Danny after so many years. His face had lost that baby fat from teenhood and his eyes even crinkled more when he smiled. His shoulders had finally filled out. He was a presence now.

“The truth is Danny, it's really great to see you -- it is -- but I'm having a kind of idiotic emergency and Joy thought it was a good idea to involve you.”

“Oh you mean the Fake Boyfriend thing? Yeah Joy already filled me in. I'm on board yeah. Let's do this!” Danny assured easily, no regard whatsoever to Ward’s dumbstruck face. 

“What? Really?” Ward asked after regaining his voice, clearing it pointedly at Joy and sending her another glare for good measure.

“Yeah of course! Are you kidding? You think I'm gonna let some stuffy suits think you're a lame-o for having made up an impossibly perfect boyfriend? No way man, I got your back.”

“See Ward, Danny's got your back.” Joy parroted as she reached to ruffle Danny's curls. Ward suddenly felt warmer, the air must have shut off.

“Gee, that's… thanks, but I can't ask you to do this, you… just got here! And I'm sure you don't have much energy for all these, shenanigans. Really it's fine Danny, I'll figure something out.”

“Come on Ward, please it's totally cool. I want to. It'll actually be pretty fun, I think. Come on, just think we could have a gushy cheesy first meeting, a song, oh and we can even hold hands. Now I'm not a cheap date but I may actually let ole’ Fish Lips take a crack at this mug. If you're good.” 

When Danny and joy finally left an hour later with a plan to reassemble tomorrow morning, Ward was left flabbergasted. He couldn't believe he had just agreed to something so stupid. How could this possibly end well. Ward was a lunatic to think he'd make out of this wedding with his heart in one piece. He was fucked. 

 

***

Ward walked out of a building to see Danny getting out of a car so beautiful and slick he did a double take. The stunning car parked haphazardly as if Danny could barely park. Ward wondered if Danny even knew how to drive, because the dork hadn't before he left. This was the boy Ward once saw eat a hotdog from a bus stop he just found on a park bench, in college. 

Danny was dressed like, like Ward, a rich douche. Armani slacks, blue Gucci shirt, and what Ward knew for a fact were four hundred dollar Bottega Veneta shoes. Hair clipped and curled perfectly, beard trimmed and not the ragged mess it was last night. 

He looked all of the spoiled rich kid that Danny had hated back in school. Had regularly avoided if only because confrontation was not Danny's bag.

“What on Earth are you wearing? Who did you steal this car from?” Ward asked getting his voice back quick enough.

“What, no one! It’s mine! I mean it's new, obviously, but I thought a reclusive millionaire could own something like this. Joy said it would work. Was I wrong?”

“No I mean, it should be fine I guess.” Danny came around the car and took Ward's bag from him, stuffing it into the car as Ward stared. “You bought this car last night?”

“Yeah, it was kinda spur of the moment ya know. So, you ready?”

“I guess.” Ward folded himself into the ridiculous car and before he knew it they were on the road.

It was tense to say the least. Ward worked on not looking over and staring at Danny too much. He needed to be chill. Ward could do that. 

“So, tell me about these friends of yours. Joy said this Tony guy is like your best friend now? That's cool.” Ward glanced over and saw Danny smiling benevolently, he seemed sincere but Ward knew the kid's tells. 

“Oh yeah, sleepovers and secret handshakes and everything.”

“ _Really?_ ” Danny smiled and glanced over, if Ward was honest with himself he'd have said Danny's smile was the thing he missed the most, in all the years he had been gone.

Danny's smiled easily and laughed easier. Had always been a ball of energy wrapped in an adorable outer shell. He could bring out Ward's almost non-existent wild side. Ward had trouble saying no to Danny back then and had gotten into more than a few rough spots because of it. He knew his attraction was ill-timed even then, but knowing and _knowing_ were two different things. He’d learned as much when he was left holding the bag.

Danny left. Ward had to remember that. He'd known about Ward's feelings and had in the end chosen to walk away. 

“There's not really much to tell. They're work friends.” Ward answered, looking out the window hoping against hope Danny would leave it. 

“Work friends,” Danny repeated, testing the words apparently. “And this Tony? Are you… do you, um.”

“What?”

“Did you two ever…?” Danny waved his hand in a crude gesture.

“Oh! No! Jesus, Danny. No we're just friends!”

Danny nodded, shrugging his shoulders, “Sorry, geez. It was just a question, no need to get all ruffled.”

“You can't ruffle me, Danny.”

“Please, you're like a cockatoo, you're so ruffable. Always have been.”

“Like you'd know anymore.” Ward slipped out before he could stop himself. He regretted it almost immediately when he saw Danny's eyebrows scrunch and corners of his mouth twitch down.

“Yeah, I… I guess you're right.” 

The car lapsed into silence as they left the city and Ward honestly preferred it. If only so he could think about what the hell he was doing. This hadn't seemed like that bad of an idea last night, but now, seeing Danny, realizing he'd have to go from not seeing him in six years to spending two days pretending to date the man. It was making him sweat.

“So why did you, you know… make me up?” 

“I didn't. I made up an imaginary boyfriend.”

“A blonde, curly haired, reclusive millionaire? Sounds familiar.”

“Get over yourself, Danny. I also said he was a Kung Fu master.”

“Well actually-” 

“It wasn't about you!”

Danny clammed up, looking admonished. Ward fought the urge to apologize. 

“Why did you even make him up?” Danny asked a few minutes later.

Ward sighed heavily, “I was just tired of everyone's obsession with seeing me date. If they thought I dated and was just private about it they left me alone.”

“No, I get that part,” Danny looked over for a second, eyes skimming over Ward in all too familiar way. “I just meant, well, why didn't you like actually just date? You never had a problem with that before.”

“I don't have a problem with it now.” Ward defended himself. He didn't. He could date whenever he wanted to. It just so happened he didn't want to. Was he supposed to force himself to date just because his friends wanted him to? No, absolutely not. “I just wanted them off my back. This was the easiest way.”

“Well if these people are your friends, it seems you could have just told them how you feel.”

“ _These people,_ are my friends. They've been my friends for as long as… for years, so if you have a problem with them, or this, just tell me now and we can turn around.”

“No! I- I'm sorry, I'm sure they're really great Ward, I'm just being nosy.” Danny looked forward again.

Ward was being unfair, rude and defensive, he knew. Danny was honestly doing a huge favor by covering for his idiocy like this and Ward was being a douche-lord. If he was going to make through to make through the weekend with his head and heart intact he'd have to calm down. Set aside what happened, or didn't happen, and move forward.

“So, China.”

Danny's face split into a wide grin, “It was amazing Ward. The Monastery was just crazy.”

“You lived in a monastery!?”

“For the last couple years, yeah. It was… intense. The people there are incredible.”

“How did you even communicate with each other?” Ward asked wondering if maybe Danny just lucked himself into these situations, like he used to as a kid.

“Oh, I speak Mandarin, pretty fluently.”

“What? Really?” 

“Kinda took a crash course when I got there. But, yeah, took to it well enough to get by.”

“And what the hell did you do there?” 

“Meditated, mostly. Learned about their piety, trained.”

“Trained? For what?” 

Danny suddenly looked dodgy as his boyish features let him. “It was more like training for training's sake. It's part of their you know, culture, religion.”

“And you trained?” Ward asked, mouth curving up, imagining Danny “Flower-Child” Rand learning Chinese martial arts from fucking monks. 

“I trained.”

“Well, that's good. Knowing Tony, he might ask you to prove your karate skills. Don't let him.”

“It's Kung Fu, and I don't mind.” Danny smiled easily.

“Still,” Ward added, “Thank you for doing this, Danny. I appreciate it.”

“You're my guy, Ward.” Danny answered easily. Ward tried to not think how many times Danny had called him that before he left. Friends was never a good enough title for Danny. Ward was always his guy, Joy his sister. Ward ignored the full pang of something in his chest. He coughed, awkwardly.

“So, maybe I should tell you about them after all, you'll need to at least know who to avoid.”

“I thought the point was to show me off.”

“The point, is to make it through the wedding with as little incident as possible. So Tony, he's the groom. He'll try to get you talk about either sex or science within minutes so heads up.”

“Well I'm screwed on both.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I'm a college dropout, who’s…”

“Who's what?” Ward asked, catching Danny's rapidly reddening cheeks. 

“You know I've never had sex Ward.” Danny mumbled.

“Still!?” Ward asked, maybe a little aggressively. 

Danny hadn't had sex in college. He'd been an oddly shy duck back then, as outgoing and friendly as he could be. Easily charming people left and right, he seemed to have the worst luck when it came to getting busy, finishing the deal, so to speak. 

“Well it's not like I'm a leper. I just… haven't. It actually came in handy, at the Monastery.”

Ward burst out laughing. “You have got to be joking! That's… wow.”

Danny spared him a quick glance and Ward turned away quickly, face flushing, now that he realized they were pretty much talking about Danny's bits. 

“Anyways, who else is coming?” Danny asked, clearing his throat.

Ward couldn't help but grin at the display. “Mmm from what Tony texted last night not too many people. This was all kinda sudden for him. He kinda only reconnected with this guy from coll-” Ward stopped when he realized what he was saying. Jesus, Joy was right, he really was living in a shitastic RomCom. 

“What was that?”

“It doesn't matter. Okay so there's Steve and Bucky, they work down in r&d, there's Natasha and Clint, she's the marketing head, and he's a stay at home dad. Um, I think Tony said Bruce is bringing a date as well, don't know him though. It's gonna be a small group.” Small but very close knit, Ward thought to himself, like a family.

“What we should do is get our story straight. From what Joy showed me on your Facebook, there's a lot to this.”

Ward's eyes widened. “You saw those?” He could feel his cheeks heating and not for the first time thanked his tan and beard to hide the worst of it. Danny smiled bemusedly.

“I did. They were sweet.”

“Sweet?”

“Well yeah, I mean you basically made your imaginary boyfriend treat you like you treat your dates.”

Wardsl’s eyes slid to Danny's. “What do you mean?”

“Well remember that time you dated Melissa Dawn in high school?” Danny asked, grinning impishly.

“I guess.”

“Well you took her to the planetarium remember?”

“Yeah… and?” Ward answered trying his hardest not to sound defensive.

“You rented out the planetarium. And had them write her name in the stars.”

“How do you remember that?” Ward asked thinking back, he almost remembered making out and feeling each other up in the dark. That had been a good date.

“She bragged about it for months. She was miserable when you dumped her for Jonathan Willer.”

“Jonathan Willer? God, I haven't thought of him in years.”

“Yeah, him you took to a private screening of the new Harry Potter film. Even though you hate Harry Potter.”

Ward stared. How did Danny remember this.

“And after that it was Riley Camp, and then Shirley Fairfield, and then Jackie Fo, and then-”

“Okay okay! I get it. What was your point exactly?”

Danny grinned. “My point was, you date people like you're in a movie. At least you used to. Big shows and presents but you always got tired of them. Always moved on before they ever…”

“I… didn't realize I came off that way.” Ward said contemplatively. 

“No Ward, I didn't mean like that, I just meant, you always lavished your dates, and because you're, you, they never really spoiled you back. So, it makes sense doesn't it. That you'd make it so you were the spoilee.”

“I didn't really psychoanalyze my posts. I mostly just thought what would make Sara in accounting stop trying to set me up with her niece.”

“Mmm, well like I said, you embellished this mystery guy, so tell me about you both,” Danny chuckled.

Ward felt ridiculous but agreed, Danny did have a point. He was not humble when it came to his mystery man.

“Well we met at the Opera-”

“We'll change that to a Kanye concert.” Danny interrupted, making Ward roll his eyes.

“We can't just change it. People will notice. Call bullshit.”

“Please, I can handle a few nosy coworkers. Now how did I ask you out.”

Ward blushed again. “ _He,_ asked me out on the way out of the Opera House. Took me out to the zoo.”

“I believe your post said rented out The Central Park Zoo, and you both got to feed the giraffes?”

“Tomato, To-mah-to”

“Uh huh, so what's our song?”

“Well seeing as we're not still in highschool, I figured we'd do without.”

Danny gasped dramatically, Ward couldn't help his grin. “Ward! How can you just say that? Every couple, no matter how fictional, deserves to have song!”

“Fine, congrats, you get to pick our couples song. Go nuts.”

“Oh I will! You'll see I'll pick out the best song.”

“Can't wait.” Ward dead panned. He could only imagine what Danny would choose, something ridiculous and cheesy, just Danny's style.

“So, what else? I mean, what have you been up to? I haven't actually seen anything from you in years. Facebook posts not withstanding.”

“Haven't been up to much. Bought my place a few years ago. Got a promotion last year. Pretty uneventful, especially compared to your adventures.”

“That's not true, you've always been the interesting one.”

“Nothing says interesting, like an office job and an overpriced apartment. I'm a rave.”

“You've always been interesting to me.”

Ward looked over and caught Danny's painfully sincere look. He couldn't imagine what Danny's life must have been like since he left. He'd seen so much already. Had left Ward to see it all. Ward hoped it had been worth it. He forced himself to focus the road ahead, as much as his eyes wanted to stray to Danny. 

The ride upstate continued with little else said, they ran through the first few dates and agreed to be as vague as possible, to assure the least amount of suspicion. They even agreed on an emergency signal. If one of them needed a quick save he'd pat his head, because apparently Danny was committed to enjoying this weekend way too much.

***

The beach house they drove up to was stunning, huge and intimidatingly beautiful. Even Danny let out a low whistle, “That's pretty.”

The cars surrounding the house were an assorted bunch. Danny's car stood out ridiculously, though. Outshining even Tony's best vintage. 

They pulled up by the front door and spotted the doors bursting open. Tony, followed by around five people, including the man Ward recognized as Rhodey from Tony's texts. 

Ward hesitated a second, he could do this. Danny would do fine, he just needed to keep the focus on the grooms. Ward opened the door and slipped out of the car.

“Holy shit.” Tony reached him first and stared. “He's real.” 

“Excuse me?” Ward tried to sound offended. 

“Your blonde hubby. He's actually real. Like really for real. Look he's right there!” Tony pointed to Danny who had reached into the trunk to pull out their bags.

“Yes I'm aware of where he is, thank you. Tony this is my boyfriend Danny, Danny this is Tony.” Ward declared as Danny joined him, taking his hand casually. Ward's heart sped up at the words _My boyfriend Danny,_ his throat drying out Ward tried to swallow. 

“No shit. Hi there.” Danny smiled at a grinning Tony, who was unabashedly looking him over. Ward wondered what Tony was looking for exactly.  
“Pleasure to meet you, Ward's told me so much about you!”

“Don't believe a word of any of it.” Tony reached his out taking Danny's and shaking it exaggeratedly. Tony continued to stare for what Ward thought was maybe a second too long. Until someone behind Tony cleared their throat. Rhodey was rolling his eyes over Tony's shoulder. “Oh sorry! Yeah um, Ward, _Danny,_ this is James Rhodey. My husband to be.”

Ward reached out and shook James’s hand, he had a strong, confident handshake that immediately screamed armed forces. 

“Pleasure to meet you.” Ward spoke up first.

“Hi.” Danny added taking his hand after Ward.

Rhodey for his part smiled widely and bemusedly as Tony turned from them and started in on the Aston Martin. Pulling Danny along and shooting off questions rapid fire.

“It's a pleasure to meet you Ward. Tony's actually told me quite a bit about you. Thank you for coming.”

“Wouldn't miss it for the world. Tony's wedding is a once in a lifetime thing. Congratulations obviously.” Ward answered grinning at the man.

Rhodey had a gleaming smile and impeccable posture. “I'd hope it's once in a lifetime. Thank you.” The man laughed as the rest of the group standing around watching came up.

Steve and Buck from R&D and Natasha from Marketing walked up giving Danny the critical eye. Ward swallowed as casually as he could.

“He's cute.” Natasha said first as she hugged him in greeting. 

“Thank you. How's it going here?”

“Rhodey seems okay. Tony's running around like a chicken with his head cut off. And you? What did Tony threaten you with to get the mystery boyfriend out of his cave?”

“ _Nat,_ ” Steve started, “Be nice.”

“Thank you, Steve.” Ward breathed into the hug the giant guy laid on him.

“So really, what’d he do to get your secret boyfriend out here?”

“First of all, you're all monsters. Secondly, Tony did nothing. I just thought it was the right time to introduce my _friends_ to my boyfriend. Which I hope you can all be adults about?”

“We can. Just ignore em, kid. Call in your boy, come on. The rest of the dinner party is getting here later. For now? Let's drink Tony's expensive shit.” Bucky said, patting him on the back.

He nodded and watched as they followed Bucky back in.

Ward was left waiting beside an amused Rhodey. Tony was well into his twentieth question about Danny's car, hood open and head stuck in it like an ostrich. Danny's answers most consisted of shugs and occasional grunt which didn't seem to deter Tony's questions either way.

Ward realized he was staring at Danny's smiling profile like a lovesick fiance himself and quickly shook himself out of it. Ward needed to remember this wasn't actually a weekend getaway with his boyfriend, Ward was lying to his friends; had lied to them for months and he wasn't supposed to enjoy this. 

“Tony, leave Danny alone! You can nerd over the car later, you have a wedding to plan if I'm not mistaken.”

Tony popped his head up and grinned, grease smeared on his forehead already. “This isn't just a car you heathen, it's a masterpiece and Danny has agreed to take me for a spin so you keep my fiance company and keep those vultures inside from drinking me out of a cellar. Love you Rhodey!”

Danny shrugged as Tony shoved him into the passenger seat and ran to slip into the driver's seat. Ward panicked at the thought of Tony alone with Danny so soon but didn't know what to say to stop them. He saw Danny give him a thumbs up and before he could even roll his eyes Tony peeled out of the driveway and sped off down the street.

“Is he going to be okay?” Rhodey leaned in to ask as they stared after the car.

“Which one do you mean?” 

Rhodey laughed and shrugged, nodding towards the house and picked up one of their bags. “Come on I'll show you where you guys will be staying. You're lucky, Tony had to bring down the hammer and reserve the single for you and Danny. It was impressive.”

“Sounds like it. Well that's great, though because Danny loves to… sleep in the same bed… with me.” Ward rolled his eyes at himself. He was the worst. 

The house was just as beautiful on the inside, wide open plan and beachfront view just out the wide back patio doors. Rhodey led him up a flight of stairs and into the second room in the right. It was huge even as a guest room, bathroom just for it and wide balcony that looked over the back patio and the beach.

“This place is amazing,” Ward said as he set his bag on the bed and Rhodey followed.

“Thank you. Tony seems attached to this place.” Rhodey smiled at him and moved to the balcony doors. “He actually proposed right out there, right at the edge of the water.”

“Must have been nice. Were you surprised?” Ward asked, inspecting the man's profile.

“Oh yeah,” he laughed, “Tony was… really different back in school. He was, wilder, and not in the party hard way. He had some demons, and for the rest of us, we took what we could. And so when he popped the question, I was surprised, to say the least.”

“But you still said yes.” Ward blurted before he could catch himself. 

Rhodey laughed, thankfully. “I was surprised at that too. But I just thought, why not take the risk? I trust Tony, that's not the problem, so I agreed.”

“Well from someone coming into Tony's life kinda recently, he really loves you. Without a doubt. It's amazing to see.”

“Thank you for saying that.” Rhodey looked over him, bashful smile on his face. “To be honest meeting Tony's friends was already gonna be intimidating but now I gotta marry the guy in front of them all too?”

Ward chuckled and nodded in sympathy. “Tony's gang was a hard one to break into, take it from me, but something tells me you can handle yourself. They're pushovers really.”

“Let's hope so. I got a few people coming in tomorrow, a friend from the Marines showed up not too long ago so I should be good.”

“Sounds good. Let me know if you need anything for tonight or tomorrow, Danny should be good for runs. If he ever comes back with Tony. I shudder to think what those two could be up to.”

“Mm. Well from what Tony's told me about your oh so mysterious boyfriend I think it's a toss up as to who has to bail their boyfriend out of jail.”

“I should give him a call,” Ward decided, Rhodey laughed and moved to leave. “Thank you though, I hope you and Tony are happy.”

Rhodey nodded as Ward pressed the phone to his ear. Danny's phone went straight to voicemail and Tony's a few seconds later, just rang. He gave up with a huff and sent a silent prayer that Danny wouldn't mess this up too bad. Danny had a tendency to hero worship the wrong people, like Ward for example.

Ward decided he would just join the others and hopefully pass enough time and glasses of wine that he wouldn't care how bad Danny's and his’ idea was.

He swung the door open and barreled right into someone coming out of the room across the hallway. A hard leathery someone. Ward turned to apologise but froze as his eyes met the other man's.

He had to be shitting Ward. This wasn't possible, Ward's luck couldn't really be that fucked up. He couldn't have have been so cruel in a past life that he would be in the situation he found himself in.

Frank Castle smiled wide and devilishly. Taking a leisurely step back and crossing his arms. Tongue pressing against the inside of his cheek, reminding Ward of a hundred days of blistering encounters with him. His face was unshaven and his hair was buzzed on the sides but unkempt and long enough on top to run his fingers through. His tight black shirt and leather jacket gave him that cliche bad boy soldier look only he could pull off. Cocky grin and sharp eyes tracking Ward's shocked reaction.

“God damn, didn't expect to see _you_ here sugar.”

Ward's eyes bugged at the nickname and his blush only seemed to amuse Frank more.

“Don't call me that. And what are you doing here?”

“I'm a friend of the groom. And I'm guessing you're from the other grooms side.”

“You're Rhodey's marine friend. Oh that's, great. I mean it's nice to see you… again. Um, yeah I'm gonna.” Ward tried to sidestep Frank only for the man to dart in his way quick as a flash. He pressed in close and grinned.

“What's the rush, _Ward_?”

Ward gulped, mouth suddenly dry. “No rush, I just have…” he paused at the distracting scent of Frank's cologne. He had the same back when they had dated, Ward had found it for him, on their anniversary. Their only anniversary.

“Mmm, it's okay, It can wait. How about you stay and talk to me, huh?” Frank's voice was a familiar rumble and the hand that reached out to Ward's hip, gripping it, made Ward blow a soft breath.

“Frank, stop there's…”

“What, sugar? You got somebody waiting downstairs? Mm?” Frank's accent was thicker as he spoke quietly. But to Ward in the empty hallway, his voice was booming.

“No, not- really. I- it's complicated Frank just, stop, he's…” Frank's eyes were dark and amused at Ward's frankly feeble attempt to move back. Frank's fingers felt huge and hot through Ward sweater and he could smell the mint and cigarette smoke on his breath. A terrifically absurd thing to drive Ward warm under the collar, but there he was, burning up. 

Frank had always had a talent for undoing Ward as easy as breathing. When they were together, it was Frank's will and wants that defined their relationship. With Frank, the worries and petty things of the world went away. He could be Frank's and in turn he was untouchable, it had been addicting. A primal desire he never knew he had until Frank came into his life.

“He's what sugar?”

“He's-”

“He's right here.” Danny's voice broke the spell and Ward's eyes snapped to him, standing at the top of the stairs, fists clenched at his sides and face a red fury. Tony stood just behind Danny, a step or two down, wary looking but mostly interested.

“Danny, hey!” Ward quickly moved Frank's hand off of him and caught the man's smile at the move. Danny didn't look away from Frank as Ward moved to the stairs himself. “I'm, I was just catching up with an old, um, friend. Frank, this is Danny, my boyfriend and Danny this is Frank, he’s apparently an old friend Rhodey's.”

“How ya doing, kid?” Frank nodded, arms crossing again, smile wide and smarmy.

“It's Daniel.” Was Danny's answer. Ward rolled his eyes at the frankly embarrassing display. Ward and the two guys staring daggers at each other were all acting like teenagers. 

“Come on, Danny, there's still a lot to help out Rhodey with.” Ward started down the stairs catching Tony's amused look and unsubtle wink. His thumbs up, Ward felt, was a bit much. Ward rolled his eyes and escaped down the stairs.

***

Ward met Frank almost two years ago in a dive bar in the Bronx after work, and from the night the ex-marine came into his life, Ward had been taken with him. Ward's infatuation and eventual obsession with Frank was a maddening and borderline masochistic relationship. He almost immediately became mesmerized by Frank's presence, hypnotized with his casual dominance and effortless strength.

He could bend Ward to his will with barely more than a look, and Ward's idea of control became a dystopian memory. His hands were a powerful sanctuary, and when Ward was in them, his pain and fears, his heartbreak and past all disappeared. 

Danny's absence became a dull pain he could live with, then. He knew what he felt for Frank was more self preservation and blind sexual satisfaction, but when he was on his back with Frank fucking him into the mattress, eyes black and smirk easy, it was too easy to forget how much he still needed. He took what Frank gave and was grateful for it. That kind of laser focused passion, was humbling and wickedly intimidating.

Frank was a serious man, with a penchant for violence. His temper was quick to ignite and burn out just as fast. He was an asshole with a bad attitude but to Ward, he'd been a shield. Their arguments were passionate screaming matches that ended almost every time with bruises on his wrists and hips that he'd run his fingers over in the shower. Decidedly surprised but comfortable with his own appreciation for the mottled finger shaped marks.

In his darker times, when Frank's anger and self righteousness got the better of him and he came home from the bar or a job, limping, and face beat to shit, Ward cursed him. Hated him then. Frank was supposed to be a pillar, strong and immovable, but when Ward cleaned him up, on his knees in the bathroom, he could see the all too human flaws in him. Frank would smile at him, though, teeth bloody, eye swollen closed, and when he leaned in Ward would still lose his breath in the blood tinted kiss just as easily.

He showed Ward how to shoot a gun, for protection, and the fact that Ward holding a gun was apparently a kink for the man didn't hurt. He made sure Ward knew how to shoot, fight, and fuck. Teaching Ward how much control mattered in his world. There was no such thing as power, only control, every man could be controlled, it was only a matter of finding where to squeeze.

When they ended, they ended in an almighty immolation. Frank's fury and recklessness culminated in his hospitalization after a shot to the chest, two inches from his heart and millimeters from his spine. It was torturous, seeing Frank like that. And months later, when Frank could put on a shirt without cussing like a sailor, Ward had enough courage to ask Frank to leave his job. 

Frank laughed in his face, said he could leave the business the day he died. _”Doesn't matter what I want Sugar, you think these people just let guys like me go? Guys that can do what I can do?”_

_”So, we're stuck? This is just my life now? Loving a guy that might drop dead at any moment?”_

_”It is what it is, baby, what do you want me to do?”_

Ward had looked into Frank's eyes that night and seen he was serious. Frank's bosses would never let an enforcer as good as Frank walk away. He was too ruthless, too good at his job. Ward knew his decision then, and from the bitter smile Frank gave him, so did he.

Ward walked away and with every ounce of control he had, every ounce Frank had taught him to have, he didn't look back. He knew, after losing Danny, that looking back would only make things harder.

So as Ward stood between Danny and a smiling oblivious Clint, across the kitchen island from Frank, he felt fucked. Danny's smile was tight, and his answers to Steve's questions about his travels were at best half hearted. 

The glass of red Ward had accepted from Tony was a small help, but with every sip his eyes strayed to Frank. The man looked just as good as always and Ward wondered what might have happened if Ward hadn't showed up with Danny in tow. Frank thankfully had enough tact not to mention with any detail his previous relationship with Ward, telling Rhodey the lucky coincidence of running into an old friend in Ward.

Bucky and Natasha had left over an hour ago to pick up the catering for the dinner at seven and the others, Bruce and his _Friend, Thor_ were in the dining room setting up. Tony had shortlisted the wedding guest list. The rehearsal dinner would consist of close friends and Rhodey's immediate family, and tomorrow the second half would arrive for the wedding itself.

Ward was trying to hold up a conversation with Clint and was doing a shit job of it, when Clint snapped his fingers inches from Ward's nose.

“ _Hello,_ anyone in there?” Clint chuckled out.

Ward's eyes snapped back to Clint and he wondered just how out of it he must look. Danny's hand was casually wrapped around Ward's but his eyes were sharp in tracking Frank's ongoing conversation with Rhodey and Tony in the corner.

“What? I'm sorry, I was… um,” Ward didn't know how to finish.

“Distracted? Yeah I got that.” Clint followed Danny's line of sight to Frank and lifted his eyebrows pointedly. Ward shrugged silently. Clint debated for a second before nodding.

“Steve, why don't you take Danny out back to help Bruce and The Viking finish up the patio.” 

Steve raised his right eyebrow but agreed, Danny for his part looked to be on the verge of objecting. Luckily Ward's look was enough to keep him from it, but still he paused before letting Ward go. He pressed a kiss to the back of Ward's hand as he left, a soft thing, that made Ward's breath catch and face flush. Danny spared him one last, uncharacteristically mischievous smirk and followed a bemused Steve. 

He caught, in his periphery, Frank staring his way and did his best not to meet his eye. 

Frank was savagely possessive of Ward on his best day, he could remember all too clearly the cuts and busted knuckles, from a dozen fights that started when some moron got too grabby or comfortable with him. Ward hoped almost a year since actually dating would be more than enough time to curb that particular behavior, but almost as if his eyes couldn't help but search for the man whenever they we're in a room together, he looked towards Frank.

His face was stern and his eyes sharp as a hawk, running carefully over Ward's reaction and tilting his head just the slightest to the right. Ward's eyes turned down automatically, an instinct from their time together. 

Turning back to Clint the man made no further comments and simply dragged Ward out of the kitchen and into a side room that turned out to be a half bath. 

“Alright, spill it what's going on with you and Colonel Sexface out there? And what's up with your Boyfriend?”

“Will you keep it down! Jesus,” Ward closed the door carefully and turned to the grinning man. “It's not really important. I just, I may have dated _Frank,_ a couple years ago.”

“You're shitting me, wait,” Clint paused, “are you telling me Commando Lust, out there is the same psycho from the bar? The one that made you all crazy last year?”

“He didn't make me crazy. It was just a tough break up.” Ward defended himself. 

Clint may have a particular insight to this situation, though. When he'd left Frank, it had been Clint, Nat, and Buck that pulled him back out of the deep funk and pity party he had sunk into. It'd been the hardest time since he'd lost Danny and it was because of his friends that he'd made it out, halfway intact.

“Yeah, I remember. Well, maybe this wasn't the best time to bring the new boy toy, then huh? Congratulations on him by the way, he's adorable.”

“Gee, thanks Clint, but could we maybe focus on the cluster fuck waiting for me out there?”

“Sure, sorry. Well how bad is it? Is Curly, a jealous guy?”

“No- yes- I actually don't know, it's never come up.” Ward realized. He actually didn't know if Danny had a penchant for jealousy. 

From what Ward remembered from his high school days, Danny had only ever dated once then. In college Danny had been a flirt and a banging wingman, but he didn't actually date. Huh. How had Ward never realized.

“Well, from the scrunchy pout the guy was sporting back there it's probably safe to assume he does in fact have a case of the jellies. So the answer’s simple.” 

Ward waited, “Well?”

“Duh, keep the kid distracted.”

“How?” Ward asked.

Clint's eyes half lidded and his face went flat, “You're at beach house, in a private room, with your sexy manchild boyfriend. I think you'll figure it out.” 

“No you don't- I can't just,” Ward blew out a heavy breath and leaned against the sink. “It's not that easy.”

“What do you mean… wait, do you still have a feeling for The Terminator?” 

Ward didn't answer, which was probably the most telling thing he could have done.

“Oh. Wow, um. So what do you want to do?”

Ward contemplated his absurd situation. He was in the middle of a fuckup of his own creation and he could figure a way out. He just had to think logically. He and Danny weren't actually together, so the dummy's jealousy was just Danny's general over protectiveness, it had to be. 

Frank was obviously still the same as always, enticingly dangerous. He couldn't even say his residual feelings for Frank weren't just an adverse reaction to see Danny after so many years too. He honestly couldn't parse out one emotion from another at this point. It was just a flurry of stress and anxiety.

He'd talk to Danny. It was the easiest way. He'd explain the full story and maybe even convince him to help Ward. If Frank's little show upstairs was any clue, he'd only just started to play his favorite game. _Let's Make Ward Crazy Until He's Begging For It._

If he could keep Danny from Frank, and keep his friends wedding drama free, he would try anything.  
“Okay, I'll talk to Danny.”

“And tell him to leave? Yeah I get it, Captain Sex Swing looks like he could eat your boy, whole.”

“What? No! I'm going to tell him the truth. If I can just avoid Frank for a couple hours today and a few tomorrow, it'll be fine. You have to help.”

“Obviously, this surprise wedding is turning out to be a snooze. Everyone's all adulty and shit. Drinking wine like snoozy housewives.” 

Ward rolled his eyes. “Clint, you _are_ a snoozy househusband, remember? Or have your kids finally melted your brain?”

“Hey, take it from me then. This is just what I needed, surprise proposal, drama, intrigue. It's like a murder mystery party, but instead of finding the killer, we're keeping you from being, just like, a huge slut.” Clint's smile was ridiculous and charming, just like the rest of him. Nat was a lucky woman.

“Gosh, Clint, you're just so full of… _helpful_ advice. What would I do without you?”

“Crash and burn, and probably that walking Army Porn, out there.” 

Ward rolled his eyes and smiled regardless. “Just try to keep tabs on Frank. I'll stick by Danny as much as possible and after dinner we'll book it to sleep. No hullabaloo necessary.”

“Yeah, sounds good, but like, are you sure you maybe don't want to send the kid away? I mean, no offense obviously, he's great and everything, but you know Frank was shooting some _looks_ at you too. He didn't look… uninterested.”

“ _Clint_.”

“I know, I know okay, just hear me out. You had like serious feelings for Private Sexbot, and I'm just saying maybe you could, you know, see if there's something there to go back to. Would coffee be so bad an idea?”

“Frank's not the coffee and chat type. I didn't leave him because I lost… those feelings. It was the right choice for me, my sanity, walking away.”

“Okay, I mean I got your back either way you know that. I just don't want you to look back at the chance and wish you'd taken it.”

Ward paused. Clint had a point, because of course he did. Clint may seem like a flighty circus monkey, but his advice had been more than helpful over the years. He was well wizened from his long life before he met Nat. A retired police detective, he'd met Nat during an investigation, and years later when they found each other again, he said, he'd made sure he hadn't missed his shot with her. He gave up his gold shield to make a family and he swore that he wouldn't, _couldn't_ , regret it for one second of the rest of his life.

If Ward ever dreamt of a future with someone, he'd be lucky to have a quarter of Clint's happiness. He had lost his chance with Danny so long ago it was hard to remember the pain of that regret. Giving up Frank had been less than a year ago and the pain of that hit still ached sharply. If he ever had a chance at a future with someone, he knew it wouldn't be Danny. 

He didn't deserve that kind of light. Danny was an amazing person, generous and kind to everyone in his life, but when he left he showed Ward how cruel he could really be. Ward's words from the night Danny left were burned into his memory. 

He hated to remember that night on purpose. He couldn't always keep his memories and nightmares separate, and after so long that conversation was lined and imprinted with the worst of Ward's fears. Danny's words echoed Ward's own insignificance.

_”What do you mean you're leaving? Where?”_

_“I'm not sure, not really anyway. Europe probably.”_

_“But what about… I mean, I thought.”_

_“What?”_

_“... nothing, um, nevermind. Huh, wow. That's amazing Danny! I'm- happy for you.”_

_“Really?”_

_“Of course Danny, this is something you've always wanted. It's gonna be good for you.”_

_“Yeah, I hope I don't get lost.”_

_“...Me too.”_

***

Ward's foolproof plan went out the window when he was told Danny had gone out again, Tony in tow. The wedding cake needed to be picked up from the bakery two towns over and Tony had volunteered Danny and himself. Clint and Natasha also left immediately after returning to pick up the wedding bands from the jewelers, which needed an emergency resizing. 

That left Bruce and his Boyfriend in the back, arguing with Steve and Bucky on just how far apart the chairs should be for the seaside wedding. Ward could see the two blondes staring as the two brunettes petulantly moved a chair back and forth between them. The difference was negligible but you wouldn't know it from the way Bucky waved his arms wildly and Bruce crossed his arms and stuck his nose up.

Ward stood on his balcony, locked tightly in his room, it was the only move he could think of to do. The kitchen was a no go and any help he could offer was in too much risk of also including Frank.

It was nearing noon, and the water sparkled beautifully from his spot. Crystal blue and serene. 

A knock at his door made him jump. He stared at the door and debated faking sleep. Would that be rude? Probably.

“Ward?” 

It was Frank. His voice was muffled through the door but Ward knew it like his own. 

“Yeah?” Ward called. Standing on the other side of the door, because Frank was just too much of a risk to face. If Ward did something here, at Tony's wedding and had to explain how he lied to him, to all his friends, for months? It would cost him their trust, and Ward couldn't risk that.

“Open the door, please.”

He had to be smarter than the dumb kid in love with his best friend. Better than the man that looked for solace and comfort in the most dangerous man he knew. Ward's feelings had already led him to so many mistakes, he knew, even if he opened the door and explained it all to Frank and by some miracle Frank didn't make Ward regret it. He would drive Ward madder than a full moon. 

Frank was commanding in every way. He fucked like he wanted to break Ward into pieces and put him together in the same night. He was wholly man and like only the most sinful and wicked men could, he had Ward at his will with little more than a look. 

May his mother forgive him but the small part of him that felt lost and shocked and overwhelmed by Danny's homecoming, rumbled at the sound of that husky smoked out voice. Frank was not a man to ask, he was unapologetically predatory and Ward knew all too well, if Frank Castle wanted, Frank Castle took. 

“Ward, open the door. Now Sugar.” Frank said with finality. 

Against his better judgement Ward moved to open it, he couldn't risk Frank losing patience and doing something stupid like breaking the door down. Ward didn't think he would actually do it but he couldn't risk it. 

Frank's hand was floating in midair, ready to knock again. His head shot up at the swinging door. Frank's smile was always a promise of good times and bad. In the beginning it was a menacing thing, that Ward was stubbornly enraptured by. Seeing it now in such juxtaposition with Tony's white beach walls and clean brightness around them was tripping Ward up.

“Where's your boy, Sugar?” he asked, grin growing as he leaned an arm up in the doorway.

“Please stop calling me that.” Ward begged stepping back, he needed distance if he was going to do this. 

Frank's responding chuckle was soft at least, Ward could pretend he had a chance at coming out of this with his heart and head intact, if Frank could just stop being so himself.

“How you been Ward?” He asked softly, grin softening into something familiar and, once upon a time, comforting.

“I've been good, Frank.” Ward answered, sitting slowly on the bed. He caught the quick flick of his eyes at the sight. “And you? You taking care of yourself?”

“Like always.” Frank answered, taking a slow deliberate step into the room. Ward's eyes tracked the movement with laser like focus. His palms becoming clammy.

“Good.” Ward said. “What do you want, Frank?”

Dark eyes turned from the view out the balcony to stare too deep into Ward. “Who's the kid?” He asked, easy as anything.

“Danny? He's my boyfriend.” Ward answered.

“Bull.”

“Excuse me?” Ward asked, temperature rising.

“That kid ain't got shit to do with you. Last I remember you boy Danny was off to see the big wide world. Isn't that what you told me? That he fucked off easy as pie and left you holding shit?”

“He came back, and we reconciled.”

“Oh you reconciled? When, yesterday? Because I know how you are Doll, when someone's got you nice and satisfied. And that boy? He sure as fuck ain't got you satisfied.”

Ward forced a bark of a laugh. “You have no idea what you're talking about.”

“Come on, Ward.” Frank stepped closer to the bed and smiled smarmily and cocksure. “What game you playing here?”

“I'm not playing a game. The only person playing a game, is you. But that's nothing new.” Ward responded, voice going hard as he stood up and faced Frank fully. “I don't know what you think you saw in the whole forty minutes you've watched us, but you're wrong. I'm with Danny, and I'm here to celebrate my best friend's’ wedding, and if you interfere with either of those things, I'll-”

“What?” Frank asked, face harder and unreadable than before. No smirk or twinkle in his eye now, he looked positively untouchable and yet Ward's hands itched to reach out and feel that power in his hands. That mouth as sick as sin against his if only to clear away the rumbling chaos of confusion whirling in Ward's head since Danny walked through his door yesterday. “What will you do?”

Frank stepped the last few feet to bring him eye to eye with Ward, chest to chest. Ward didn't move to step away, or more accurately, couldn't move to step away. It was like magnetism, Frank's presence. Always had been, and now a year removed from having been here last Ward was just as helpless to that power. 

Danny coming back and resurfacing everything that Ward had long since buried was tearing at the edges of Ward's carefully built control. Seeing his sunny smile and golden curls was like a balm to the empty place in Ward's heart that had been carved out after so many heartbreaks, but it stung just as much to see that Danny had lived a happy life away from them. Away from Ward.

When the world felt like it left Ward behind and his heart was too heavy, it had been Frank that made him feel like he had at the very least somewhere to belong. Someone to see him.

Looking into those dark brown eyes now, remembering the comfort and safety he had once felt in them Ward was too weak to pull away as Frank leaned forward. Strong, calloused fingers gripped his nape and pulled him close. They shared a breath, then two, before Frank closed the distance. 

His lips were chapped and warm, breath smoky and minted, and so familiar Ward's toes curled in his shoes with pleasure. It'd been so long since he'd had this, he'd almost forgotten how intoxicating Frank's lips could be. Ward's heart thundered in his chest and his ears as he brought his hands up cradle Frank's stubbled face. 

Before he could decide to end the kiss, a clearing throat in the doorway shocked them apart. We'll shocked Ward away from Frank's lips. The look on Frank's face looked more annoyed than scandalized or caught out. 

Ward could feel the flush burn his face as he looked over Frank's shoulder and saw Clint standing there, expression thunderous and lips thin.

“Clint.”

“Danny and Tony are back, we beat em here by a hair.” Clint said simply. He looked Ward in the eye and gave him an indecipherable look, something between a warning and understanding, before turning around and walking away. 

“This never happened.” Ward said into the heavy silence that followed. “Get out.”

“ _Sugar_ -” 

“Frank please, just… just go.” Ward begged.

Frank's stormy face and eagle sharp eyes softened just the slightest bit, enough to show he may actually be reasonable. “We're not done.” He said before turning and following where Clint disappeared to. Ward's legs gave out and he collapsed heavily onto the bed. 

His hands were shaking and his head was buzzing but his eyes were dry. He shouldn't have done that. He shouldn't have even let Frank in, but he most certainly shouldn't have let himself reciprocate Frank's kiss. He must be going mad. 

He could have been caught by Danny, or worse Tony, an the would have been exposed as the shit liar he was. As the shit human being he was. For the love of God, this was Tony's wedding and Ward couldn't keep his shit together for even a weekend? Ward didn't deserve to be here. He didn't deserve to have Danny play along with this bullshit. He deserved to be alone. At least then, Ward couldn't hurt anyone he cared about. 

Danny walked in moments later and smiled happily at Ward's faraway look. “The beach is beautiful here, huh? We should take a walk before dinner.”

“Huh?” Ward asked like a moron, three steps behind as always. 

“You're staring at the ocean like it's got a secret. You okay?” He asked, stepping closer. 

Ward shot up off the bed to avoid another stupid move. “Yeah, I'm just a little flushed, I'm gonna go help Bruce and Bucky outside.”

“Hey,” Danny said softly, reaching a hand out, brushing Ward's shoulder, “Is everything alright?”

“I'm fine, Danny. You don't have to worry.”

“Aw, Ward-”

“Just drop it Danny. I just want to get this weekend over with, and you acting like you give a crap isn't helping. Thank you, for doing this for me, but you can stop pretending I matter to you. I'm not under any delusion about what this is so please just stop acting like you give a shit.”

Ward stormed from the room before Danny could respond and made it down the stairs and out the back door without running into anyone. The early afternoon sun was bright and the salty ocean breezes whipped around soothingly as Ward walked away from the house. Ward didn't feel the tears until he was at the water's edge. 

He was drowning. He knew that now. Frank was too much for him to handle alone. And Danny was only making his heart weaker, more vulnerable. And now Clint knew how dumb Ward really was too. Jesus what a mess. 

He needed to reign himself in and do what he did best. Fake it. He just hoped he could make it through to tomorrow with his sanity intact.


	2. Flawed Kisses and Wilted Smiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few talks. A Lunch. And a kiss. 
> 
> Ward is not going to make it the full weekend. Not if people don't stop kissing him out of nowhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this took months to get to because I'm a terrible person. I hope it's not too short for an update and I swear I will have much more much sooner as we go along. I love you all.

Ward regretted his risen temper as soon as he calmed down enough to think clearly. Blowing up at Danny wasn't in the least bit fair, for so many reasons, the least of which was that he was here, helping Ward. For no other reason than he wanted to, and letting Frank get to him so easily wasn't Danny's fault. 

Frank was just that good. He knew where to push, and when to pull to bring a man to his knees without breaking a sweat. So reducing Ward to a self doubting scrambling mess was easy as pie. The thing was, Ward didn't really mind as much as he should. Not really. 

Having Frank read him so easily and surely, after so much time, was a heady thing. Knowing that Frank knew Danny wasn't really _his_ was both relieving and terrifying. On the one hand, he didn't have to try to convince Frank about Danny's and his’ non-existent relationship which lifted a huge burden, but on the other hand, Frank wasn't one to hold his tongue. He wasn't a loud mouth in any way, but if he had something to say, nor hell or high water could keep him quiet. 

Would Frank voice his suspicions to the group? Ward didn't think so, but even he wasn't naive enough to think he was just going to let the weekend pass without further incident. Frank obviously thought there was still more to discuss and he'd said as much. So maybe, just maybe, if Ward confessed the truth to him he'd understand and give Ward the weekend of peace. 

Ward could promise to hear him out after this in exchange for discretion, if that was the game Frank wanted to play. Whatever it took to keep the peace. 

Ward was already readying his speech in his head when he was pulled from his thoughts. Bruce watched the ocean beside him, smiling benevolently as always, seemingly carrying a conversation alone. 

“-chairs? It’s like arguing with children! He is the most stubborn man I've ever met, I don't know how Steve keeps from collapsing from exhaustion after dealing with him.”

“I'm sorry, what?” Ward asked lamely. Trying a smile and receiving one in return. 

“Oh, you're back, good. I was hoping you'd rejoin the land of the living.” Bruce chuckled, and laid a sun warmed hand on Ward's shoulder. “What's going on buddy? You're a million miles from here.”

“I'm sorry.” Ward answered, rubbing a hand over his face and scrubbing to wake himself the hell up. “Were you talking long? Something about chairs?”

Bruce snorted and nodded back to the house, about a fifty yards down the beach. The dark wooden chairs were all set and from the looks of it everything was ready for tomorrow. The archway at the head of the arraignment, where the grooms will stand, was wrapped with white lilies and red roses. Streamers of red and white silk waved lazily in the sea breeze. It was beautiful.

“Bucky and I finally finished them up. Took twice as long with him _fixing_ them all, after me, but it's done.” Bruce looked back to him, eyes searching but not unkind. “So, how you doing? How's the boyfriend?”

“I'm okay, he’s just a little nervous, I guess.” Ward answered honestly as he could. “We both are. Especially with Tony stealing him away every chance he gets.”

“Hmm, I get ya. Introducing the boyfriend to the family can be nerve racking.” Bruce said sagely, and Ward suddenly felt like the foot tall crap he was. Bruce had also brought a new boyfriend to this wedding and he hadn't once asked after him, only difference being Thor was _actually_ dating Bruce. 

“Thor seems great though.” Ward said, remembering the open easy smile and enthusiastic handshake he'd given Ward in the dining room just after they'd arrived. “Australian?”

“Yeah, he's from Melbourne.”

“What does he do?” Ward asked. 

“He's a surfer.” Bruce answered, grin splitting his face and the noonday sun coloring his cheeks most likely hiding a blush.

“A what? No way.” 

“ _Way_.” Bruce joked back.

The very idea that straight laced, fuddy duddy, treasurer of the group's nerd brigade (according to Tony) was dating a _surfer,_ of all things that had happened recently, seemed the most outlandish. Tony suddenly marrying, Danny coming home, Frank appearing from nothing, all well within the realm of possibility. 

Bruce Banner, the man who thinks cinnamon is too spicy for toothpaste, dating a long haired hippie surfer named _Thor_. Who would have imagined that?

“How _tubular_ of you. Where did you meet anyway?”

Bruce smiled bashfully and looked out to the sea, “I met him last year actually, when I went to Hawaii.”

“Your vacation in February?” Ward remembered that week, almost a year ago. Tony had been miserable that week. _Sciencing all alone_ , as he had put it. “I didn't know you'd been together so long. Where have I been?”

“Oh we haven't been. We met back then but we only had a week together before…”

“ _Before you had to leave_.” Ward finished realizing what Bruce meant. Well if that wasn't the most romantic romcom set up he'd ever heard. “So how did you..?”

“We ran into one another by chance. In the city.” Bruce's stare softened at the memory. “I never even told him I lived in New York. But one day I'm eating lunch in central park and Boom, I see him. Feeding pigeons on a bench. I thought I'd finally cracked. I mean, what were the odds, you know? That he'd just show up after a year.”

“Yeah,” Ward swallowed dryly, “that _is_ crazy. So you saw him? Then what?”

“I called his name. Completely sure that I was wrong. But he looked up, smiled.” Bruce's eyes refocused on Ward, a goofy grin shining in the afternoon sun. Ward's throat caught. “That was two weeks ago.”

“That's amazing.” Ward said, his smile for the first time today feeling genuine. 

Bruce was a kind, honest man. Had taken Ward well into his acquaintance as easily as Tony had. The two of them being Heads of Engineering for the company, were as close as two evil (if non effective, from all the explosions that regularly occur in their labs) geniuses could be. If anyone deserved a crack at happiness, it was Bruce. 

“He's really great. Loves the water, and poptarts.” Bruce answered, smiling softly at a memory. 

“He seems like a great guy.”

“Thank you.” Bruce said, looking back out at the ocean, a contemplative look on his face. “Danny seems really great too.”

“Thanks.” Ward answered lamely. He couldn't fathom saying more knowing what the difference between Bruce's and his’ situations. More importantly he didn't want to explicitly lie. Not anymore at least. 

“What I can't figure out, is why you're lying about him.”

Ward's eyes bugged out and his heart stuttered violently in his chest. “What?”

“Come on, Ward. We've been friends for five years, and I've been to your home. I saw pictures of Danny long before you ever made up your mystery man.” Bruce said as if he wasn't giving Ward an aneurysm. He knew the mystery man was fake?

“You knew… the whole time?” Ward asked, flabbergasted. “Do they all…”

“Oh no, I think I'm the only one.” Bruce answered, smile easy and free. Ward's heart meanwhile was still beating like a drum in his ears. 

“How did…”

“You think I haven't made up a boyfriend or two? In this group? I mean I love our friends Ward, don't get me wrong, but under no circumstance am I under the delusion that they aren't absolute maniacs.” Bruce looked amused and calm in the face of Ward's panic. “Steve has been trying to arrange a blind date for me for almost two and a half years. Natasha too. And Tony? Don't even get me started.”

“So you knew? Why didn't you say something?” Ward asked, retrospectively analyzing every moment he made an ass out of himself. Bragging about dates that never happened, or gifts Ward bought himself. The sand could swallow him up any time now.

“It wasn't my place. You knew the reason you did it; wasn't my business to interfere.”

“Wow. _That's _embarrassing.” Ward thought aloud.__

__“Not really.” Bruce said to him kindly. “Tony's done much dumber things for far worse reasons.”_ _

__Ward chuckled despite himself, Bruce's smile became encouraging. “But like I said, I can't figure out why you're lying about Danny.”_ _

__“What do you mean?”_ _

__“I get why you made a fictional significant other, but you've always spoken about your old friend Danny with such reverence. Always made him out to be like the one who got away. When did he return from abroad?”_ _

__“A few days ago.” Ward answered, shoulders slumping, suddenly tired. “I'm sorry I lied to you.”_ _

__“Oh, Ward.” Bruce lamented, pulling him into a hug. He smelled like sea salt and pineapple and Ward couldn't help but falling into the comfort. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Not with me.”_ _

__They pulled apart and Ward was more than grateful Bruce was ignoring his glassy eyes._ _

__“So Danny came back only a few days ago?” Ward answered with a nod. “And you asked him to be your fake date?”_ _

__“That was actually all Joy. I didn't even know Danny had come back until yesterday.” Ward said._ _

__“He didn't reach out when he arrived stateside?”_ _

__Ward shook his head and looked away. He had realized this also, when Joy had shown up with the blonde in tow and said as much. It's what really made him realize how little he still mattered to Danny. Even after all this time Ward was still under the delusion that he mattered, which was on him, he'd had enough evidence to the contrary. At this point Ward had no one to blame but himself._ _

__“I just want to get this weekend over with. Then I can _'break up’_ with Danny while Tony's on honeymoon and be over with this stupid lie that’s gotten way too fucking huge.” Ward explained. _ _

__“Sounds like a long weekend.” Bruce joked._ _

__“And that's not even everything.”_ _

__“What do you mean?” Bruce asked more amused this time._ _

__Ward debated saying more but in the end just decided to fuck it. Bruce already knew Ward's worst dirty laundry, what could a little more hurt._ _

__“Have you met Tony's fiance's friend?”_ _

__“The Marine? Yeah he got here right after us this morning. Intense guy.”_ _

__Ward laughed without humor._ _

__“You have no idea.” Ward hesitated, looking out at the ocean for a second, to calm himself. “That's Castle.”_ _

__Bruce squinted in confusion before bugging out like Ward expected. “That's _Castle_!? The lunatic from the bar?”_ _

__“Why does everyone say that?” Ward asked exasperatedly._ _

__“Um, because he was? Not that we'd know, we only ever met that once. I can't believe I didn't recognize him though.” Bruce's face was surprised and seemed to taking on a little worry at the edges._ _

__“He likes his privacy.”_ _

__“Guess you have to, when you work for the mob.” Bruce commented. Ward couldn't argue. “So that's him, huh?”_ _

__“Yeah, and now I have to deal with him, Danny, and somehow still have to deliver Tony's best man speech tomorrow. Not to mention keeping all of this from the rest of the group. I'm the worst.”_ _

__“No, you're not. Far from it. But you're right, you can't do this alone.” Bruce bumped shoulders, drawing Ward's attention again. “What can I do to help?”_ _

__“No, Bruce, I can't ask you-”_ _

__“You're not asking, I'm offering. So what do I do?”_ _

__Ward searched Bruce's face for a tell of annoyance or resentment, but could only find patient understanding and kindness. Same as always. He really didn't deserve his friends._ _

__“Help keep Tony from realizing I'm full of shit?”_ _

__Bruce's laugh was full and the grin he gave Ward was mischievous. “Keep him distracted?”_ _

__“He's paying Danny way more attention than I'd like.” Ward explained. “I've already got Clint trying to distract Frank.”_ _

__“Of course Clint already knows about this.” Bruce said, shaking his head amusedly. “He know about Danny too?”_ _

__“No, just Frank. He thinks Danny's jealous.” Ward mentioned._ _

__“Is he?”_ _

__“Nah. Danny just caught Frank and me talking in the hallway with Frank too close for comfort. He'd always been overprotective before he left.”_ _

__Bruce hummed in acknowledgement, but his eyes were sharp as ever. “Okay, well distracting Tony shouldn't be too hard. His parents are coming.”_ _

__“ _What!?_ ” Ward yelled in surprise. “Coming where?”_ _

__“Coming here.” Bruce said easy anything._ _

__“Today? Oh God, why?” Ward asked. “Why didn't Tony say anything?”_ _

__“Oh he's manfully ignoring the situation.” Bruce answered. “I only found out because Jarvis called ahead and I answered the phone.”_ _

__“Jarvis is coming too? That makes sense at least.” Ward reasoned._ _

__Tony and his parents had, at best, a dysfunctional parent/child relationship, based on mutual avoidance, exasperation, and alcohol. Tony had long since bucked his parent’s expectations and demands to make his own life decades ago, but anyone that thought the New York socialites had in any way accepted that as the case was just as deluded._ _

__They were overbearing and more than a little disdainful at Tony's life choices over the years. What they would think about Rhodey, or the surprise wedding was anyone's guess, but Ward's money was on disapproval and disappointment_ _

__Tony avoided them at all costs, but maybe it wasn't reasonable to expect them to be excluded until the wedding._ _

__“Yeah, I guess that'll be a perfect distraction. Wow, I'm going straight to hell.” Ward mused, hating himself for thinking of taking advantage of this. “Tonight is going to be interesting.”_ _

__“That's for sure, but you know Tony,” Bruce said, pulling Ward back towards the house. “He lives for the drama. He'll accept nothing less.”_ _

__“God help us all.” Ward chuckled but couldn't disagree._ _

__***_ _

__Danny's head poked out from the from the back patio doors as they approached, he smiled carefully and waved. Ward couldn't help but smile and wave dorkily back. He was so gone still after so many years it was ridiculous to imagine he'd be able to make it through the weekend without seriously hurting his own heart._ _

__Bruce continued in as Danny stepped out and up to Ward. Hesitant and bashful. A hesitant and bashful Danny was almost as unfamiliar as anything._ _

__College aged Danny had been outgoing and a loudmouth. A constant thorn in Ward's surly ass side until he'd he'd finally broken him down enough to concede that maybe seeing the glass half full wasn't so bad._ _

__“Hey, I'm sorry about earlier.” Danny said softly, eyes bright and as blue as the meld of sea and sky._ _

__“No, Danny, I'm sorry I'm just not handling all this as well as I thought I could. Um, can we take a walk? There's something I need to tell you.”_ _

__“Of course.”_ _

__The sand beneath Ward's toes felt so nice as he carried his shoes in hand down the beach. Danny following in silence probably wanted to give Ward the time to collect his thoughts, which he appreciated._ _

__“So, you probably figured out that um, Frank and I know each other.” Ward started, pausing and turning to Danny, wanting to gauge his reaction. Clint's earlier words ringing in his head. Danny may have looked jealous and whatnot but Ward knew Danny's overprotective nature was a thing to be reckoned with, and maybe, it still was._ _

__“You two seemed very… familiar, in the hallway. I should probably apologize for that too, for the way I reacted.” Danny's eyes strayed down then out to the water, lip caught between his teeth._ _

__“Forget it. It's just that Frank and I-” Ward was caught at the idea of describing what Frank and Ward had been. How could he possibly do that? Someone like Frank was impossible to boil down to bear elements. His best parts were so intertwined with his worst that any description would leave them sounding like fire and gasoline. Reactive and dangerous. Doomed to burn each other away. “We were together for a little over year. It- it wasn't- it didn't end well and it only ended about a year ago.”_ _

__“I'm sorry.” Was all Danny said. Ward looked up and saw Danny actually looked sorry, eyebrows scrunched and lips a sad pout._ _

__“Don't be. It- it was for the best, at the end of the day.” Ward had repeated that to Clint, Nat and Bucky for weeks before he could start to believe it. Saying it now was almost rote and Ward could almost believe it himself. “Anyway the point is he uh, he knows what we're doing. He knows that we're not… you know.”_ _

__“Okay. What do you think he'll do? Do you think he'll tell the others?”_ _

__“I'm not sure. Did you see him inside just now?” Ward asked looking back at the house._ _

__He didn't honestly know what Frank would do with the information. But if there was one thing Ward knew about Frank was that he would strike when and how he wanted. Whether that was outing Ward in front of everyone or using more, Ward would hate to call them ‘sinister’ tactics but couldn't think of a better word for it, to get his point across._ _

__“He was in the kitchen with Tony's fiance. He didn't seem like he was in any rush to spill the beans. Do you think maybe he'll just not say anything. Maybe he's moved on from the both of you?” Danny suggested, hand coming up to the back of his head and scratching through his curls. The movement was so achingly familiar Ward almost teared up seeing it after so long._ _

__Ward's snort came out too pointed, and Danny's eyes snapped to his. “He's not the type to move on easily, not from us anyway. More importantly he's made it abundantly clear that he and I have unfinished business, which if I'm being honest, he's not wrong about.”_ _

__“Wait, are you- do you still have um, feelings for him too?” His bright eyes scrunched in the noon time sun, but Ward could spot the discontent in his expression._ _

__Ward stared at him, trying and failing to come up with an answer that didn't make him sound pathetic or disturbed. In the end he decided on neither._ _

__“That's so not- thats, irrelevant.”_ _

__“Is it?” Danny continued._ _

__“Yes, because this weekend isn't about him and me, or you and me for that matter. It's about Tony. He's got a lot on his plate right now, and the last thing he needs is unwanted drama at his wedding to his college sweetheart.” Ward paused to look back at the scene of chairs and archway, caught again by the simple beauty of it. “He deserves to be happy. And I'm not going to let my idiocy, or Frank's tactics, or your aloofness, get in the way of that. I'll speak to Frank when we get back inside.”_ _

__“My aloofness? Is that still how you see me? Aloof?” Danny asked, voice quiet and unexpectedly reserved._ _

__“I am fully aware of who you are, Danny. I know how you like to pretend to be some bobble headed hippie that takes nothing seriously, when the truth is the opposite. So no, that's not what I think of you, because until yesterday, I did everything in my power not to think of you at all.”_ _

__Danny's eyes searched his face for some type of tell but Ward was better at schooling his features than Danny was at deciphering them._ _

__“What you said upstairs, about me not caring about you-”_ _

__“Like I said, this weekend isn't about us. Can you just- can you just try to lay low til dinner's over? We can talk about whatever after.” Ward injected before Danny could finish whatever platitude he had ready. Ward didn't need to hear it._ _

__“Okay, but we are going to talk about it.”_ _

__“Sure,” Ward swallowed dryly, the ocean air was too warm suddenly, “let's get back inside. The others are probably already having lunch.”_ _

__Danny nodded, reaching out to hold Ward's hand as he turned and led the way. Fingers long and steady, he twined them with Ward's and pulled him along the shore. In another life, in a million dreams, Ward had fantasized about a moment like this. A carefree moment of peace with someone he loved at his side, in his hand. It broke Ward's heart that this was how he received it, with a string of lies following behind them both._ _

__***_ _

__Lunch was a loud and laughter filled event. Chinese was ordered by the truck full and eaten with more relish than Ward thought possible. They all sat around the back patio table and scarfed down noodles and wine like it was their jobs._ _

__Clint regaling them with ludicrous stories of working the beat in the city, and Thor's tales of beach bumming and world competitions, kept everyone distracted and laughing. Tony and Rhodey sat at the head of the table and couldn't look more in love if they tried._ _

__They shared food and forks and glasses of wine like they were one. When one moved to reach for a dish the other would already have it waiting and when one shifted in his seat the other would shift to match. Ward doubted they even realized they were doing it, and it made Ward smile even more. That was how it was supposed to be. That was how love was supposed to look, Ward thought to himself as he looked around the table._ _

__Steve and Bucky did similar things throughout lunch, effortlessly combining and trading dishes between them, scowling ineffectively at one another as they stole each other's glasses of wine and egg rolls. Bucky paused every now and again to lean over and plant a soft peck on Steve's cheek as he ate, seemingly without reason, simply because he could. When Bucky laughed or snorted at a story, Steve would turn and grin dopily at him, hearts in his eyes._ _

__Clint would start a story and lose his train of thought before he could finish only to have Natasha steer him back on track. Sometimes even finishing the story herself. She watched him with a smile in her eyes and a hand on his, attention laser focused even as she probably knew the story by heart. She would catch Ward's eyes every now and again and smirk knowingly. The love she had for him was as obvious now as it had been at their own wedding a few years back._ _

__Even Bruce and Thor seemed to be well and truly on their way to a great relationship if the way that Thor had Bruce hanging on every word was any indication. And when Bruce and Tony went on a science tangent that went way over everyone's heads, Thor would look enraptured as ever just hearing Bruce speak._ _

__It was a table full of love and relationships that worked, and made the people in them better for it. Ward's appetite waned the longer he sat there and observed. The longer he watched as these amazing people existed in love so obvious and unrepentant it made Ward's heart pang with something between guilt and envy._ _

__Danny was quiet for the most part as he ate and whispered into Ward's ear every now and again. He laughed along with the others and answered any direct questions but stayed subdued overall. Bruce was more than helpful in the situation, pulling up Thor's history whenever a particularly conspicuous question was asked of Ward and Danny. He was covering for them and making it seamless as he steered the conversation where he wanted, and Ward couldn't be more thankful._ _

__Ward couldn't help himself though, not even now. His eyes would too often stray to Frank as the meal went on. He was almost completely quiet, laughing softly when appropriate and falling back into his usual hawklike surveying when not. He ate slowly and deliberately, never touching his wine glass and smirking at Ward whenever he caught him staring._ _

__Frank's eyes never landed on Danny that Ward could see and the most he did to acknowledge him at all was to raise a judgemental eyebrow when Danny explained where he learned his martial arts._ _

__Ward could hardly believe that Danny was telling the truth himself, but as Danny explained more about the monastery and the monks there it was obvious that he knew what he was talking about._ _

__“I think we need a demonstration!” Tony declared as he smiled mischievously, eyes sparkling._ _

__“Absolutely not.” Ward answered before Danny could respond either way. “I've already warned him off any flips or kicks you may try to trick him into. No way.”_ _

__“It's not tricking, it's politely asking.” Tony answered, just to be a tart._ _

__“I already threatened him with no sex if he even thinks of doing a flip.” Ward responded, as Danny choked on a sip of wine he had been taking, causing the table to erupt in laughter. Ward handed him napkin and rubbed his back as Danny got his breath back._ _

__It was nice to imagine this was still their dynamic, easy to slip into the fantasy of being able to tease and goad each other like they had in college. Too easy he thought bitterly. Too nice._ _

__Danny looked at him, half scandalized and half teasingly, smile wide and cheeks flushed._ _

__“Sorry Tony, you heard him.” Danny answered as he smiled at the table._ _

__“Boo, boo on both of you, this is my wedding,” Rhodey cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow, “our wedding, and I expected my friend's to fulfill my every desire on his day.”_ _

__“That's not how a wedding works Tony.” Steve answered with chuckle. “Especially since at our wedding I specifically remember asking you not to take over the DJ booth while drunk at the reception. And what did you do?”_ _

__“I lit the roof on fire with killer jams! You should be thanking me. That one lady certainly did.” Tony answered smugly, taking a too huge bite of a wonton and dribbling cream cheese down his chin._ _

__“Grandma Barnes almost broke a hip that night because of you!” Steve accused, unable to hide his laughter. Bucky smiled at the memory beside him._ _

__“She asked me to play 'Who Let The Dogs Out’, who was I to refuse such a request.”_ _

__“Who indeed.” Rhodey interjected, “come on DJ Van Dyke let's get this cleaned up, we still have to go pick up the tuxes from Martinelli's.”_ _

__“Wahh, why do I have to wear a tux? You're the one that actually looks good in them.” Tony pouted as he slumped in his chair._ _

__“I made one promise to your mom, to have you in a non-neon colored tux at the wedding and by God if you're going to stop me from giving that woman what she wants.” Rhodey stood, hand out to Tony._ _

__“Suck up.” Tony answered, smirking at him, taking his hand anyway._ _

__“Crybaby.” Rhodey responded as he pulled him up._ _

__“Ugh, you guys are gross already.” Clint spoke up. “But that reminds me I need a suit for tomorrow so I'll go with.”_ _

__“You didn't bring a suit?” Natasha asked, seemingly not surprised. “You knew this was a wedding yesterday.”_ _

__“And yet…” Clint answered smarmily. “Wanna come with? We can fuck in a dressing room! Just like old times.”_ _

__“Excuse me!?” Tony asked, both scandalized and curious, if the way his eyes lit up was any indication._ _

__“I'm going to murder you, go get the keys.” Natasha answered, the smile she had as she followed Clint promising either pain or actual dressing room canoodling, you could never tell with her._ _

__“Danny and I can clean this up, you all go ahead.” Ward spoke up as the others stood to start cleaning up the half empty cartons._ _

__“Are you sure?” Steve asked, looking half in the bag and tipsy. Bucky on the other hand seemed to have no compunctions about leaving the mess, leaning over to whisper god knew what in Steve's ear and walking into the house. Steve's cheeks flushed red as he gave a wacky salute and followed Bucky._ _

__“Are they going to-”_ _

__“Come on Bruce, the waves look amazing, let's take a swim yeah?” Thor interrupted, pulling Bruce up and into the house. The look Bruce shot over his shoulder as he disappeared into the house was apologetic. Ward nodded his okay and smiled as he heard them run upstairs to change._ _

__Frank was left at the table looking far too satisfied for Ward's taste as he reached for another egg roll and stood up. “I'll see you boys later.” He said with a nod in their direction._ _

__“Frank.” Ward called out, getting him to pause. He could feel Danny tense beside him but he made no move to stop Ward. “I need to know if you're planning to say something about Danny and me.”_ _

__“Say somethin’?” Frank asked, smile sharp but eyes curious._ _

__“You know Danny and I haven't been together for months. You know that's a lie. I just need to know whether you're going to announce it to everyone else.” Ward responded, deciding not to mince words._ _

__“That's none of my business, Ward. Whatever little game you're playing has nothing to do with me.” Frank answered. “But we are having a talk Monday. Right?”_ _

__The look in Frank's eyes wasn't one he could describe as benevolent. It was more warning and less compromising than Ward would have liked but he knew it was the best he was going to get from the man. Ward nodded._ _

__“Well this has been fun, Sugar, Mr. Rand.” Frank left with a chuckle._ _

__Danny's hand reaching out for Ward's shook him from his reverie of Frank's wake, soft and comforting. “Are you really going to talk with him after this? That's blackmail.”_ _

__“No, I think I need to have that conversation actually. And if it keeps the others from finding out I'm full of shit, it's more than worth it.”_ _

__“You're not full of shit Ward.” Danny said, tugging on Ward's hand to get his full attention. “You're an amazing guy that just didn't want to hurt his friends’ feelings after what looks like a really tough break up. You did what you did because you didn't have anyone to turn to, and as your friend thats my fault. I shouldn't-”_ _

__“Woohoo!” Yelled Thor as he shot out of the house and down the steps on to the beach, carrying Bruce over one shoulder and a surfboard under the other arm. Ward burst out laughing as he saw the small embarrassed wave Bruce sent his way on the way down._ _

__“That guy's nuts.” Danny remarked as he watched the couple reach the water and disappear into the waves with booming laughter and delighted yelps from Bruce._ _

__“Yeah, Bruce deserves him.” Ward answered. “He deserves someone good in his life.”_ _

__“So do you, you know.” Danny said softly as he drew Ward's attention back. His eyes were kind and his smile soft as he leaned in to Ward's space, slowly, giving him time to pull away as if for some mad reason Ward wanted. As if he hadn't dreamed of this for the better part of a decade. As if he hadn't been ripped to pieces thinking it would never happen._ _

__Danny's lips were soft and plush as they met his, stealing his breath and his thoughts. Wiping every doubt and worry away in moments as Danny tilted his head to deepen the kiss._ _

__It wasn't until Danny reached up his hand to caress Ward's face that the shock hit him like a train. Ripping himself away from Danny and knocking back his chair Ward's hands shook at his side but he kept them from wiping at his lips. Danny looking confused and just a shade of hurt, as if he had any right._ _

__“What the hell was that?” Ward almost yelled. “What the hell was that Danny?”_ _

__“I'm sorry- I- I thought,” Danny started, only to stop and swallow dryly. “ I thought you…”_ _

__“You are never doing that again, do you hear me? Ever!” Ward screamed as he caught his breath. He had known Danny could be foolish and short sighted but he didn't think he could be cruel. Never outright cruel._ _

__“Ward I-”_ _

__“Just don't.” Ward interrupted. Moving to pick up the half empty cartons. “Please go, Danny. Please.”_ _

__“I'm sorry, Ward” Danny said, almost too softly to hear, as he stood and retreated inside. Leaving Ward shaking with a storm of undecipherable feelings in his wake._ _

__He didn't know what had just happened, and he didn't want to know what Danny was thinking if he was honest with himself. Whatever screwed up idea of pity Danny had in his head was absolutely not what Ward needed, or wanted, now or ever. He'd rather die alone than be with someone who wanted to pity him. The idea made his gut twist viciously. He would never be that person._ _

__Looking up, finally, at the open patio doors he saw Frank, unsmiling and calm, staring back. “You okay?” He asked, uncharacteristically soft._ _

__“No, but what else is new.” Ward answered as he moved past him into the house._ _


End file.
